How To Have The Perfect Wedding You Always Wanted In Switzerland

Are you thinking about getting married in Switzerland? It is not that hard to understand why since it seems that every single chalet in Switzerland is romantic and the entire country offers incredible scenery and romantic getaway options. The problem for many is that it seems overwhelming to plan a wedding in another country. This is completely understandable so here are some important things that you have to know about Switzerland marriages. The tips below help you to have a better wedding day that you will remember.

Legal Requirements First

Those that are not citizens have to be residents in order to be allowed to be married. The legal age should be over 18 and it is important to be able to prove that you are not already married. If this is in place, it is all that is needed from a legal point of view to be married in Switzerland.

Civil Ceremony Application

In Switzerland the marriage needs to be done through a civil ceremony that is held at the civil register office. This is true only for the civil ceremony and you can arrange your own private and religious celebrations.

Applying for the civil wedding is most likely the most difficult part of the entire process since you have to take some administrative steps. As a foreigner, you have to supply birth certificates, marital status declarations and your passports. Then, a marriage preparation form is filled. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to go through this process since it is possible that it even takes up to a month if there are some problems with a document.

After the marriage application is analyzed and approved, you are allowed to hold the civil ceremony in the following 3 months. A translator needs to be present at the ceremony when not speaking the local language and you need 2 witnesses that have to be able to fully understand what is happening. You will pay up to 400 UFC for the ceremony and you need the marriage certificate when you want to get religiously married.

Choose The Family Name

Before 2013, women needed to change the surname to that of their husband or to double the surname. This law did change so couples can now choose what to do. Both of the spouses can keep names or they can change it. Double name is no longer allowed. Hyphens are technically allowed but you cannot use this as an official name on civil register. You need to also choose what surname future children will have.

Time To Celebrate

Besides the fact that you need to have an official civil ceremony, how you celebrate is all up to you. There are some couples that are interested in religious blessings while others just want to party or plan a getaway with friends and family members. A huge benefit of planning your wedding abroad is that you no longer need to feel pressured by what others think. Take full advantage of this since Switzerland offers an ocean of possibilities ranging from lake weddings to bungee jumping.

Early Planning

It is really important you plan ahead since we are talking about a wedding that happens in another country. Guests should be known in advance and confirmations are needed so you can arrange accommodations. You want to be sure people know the date as early as possible so they can organize their own accommodation or flights. If you are responsible for this, be sure you get answers in order to know what to book and not waste money.

Shop Abroad To Save Money

This is actually a very important tip since it can help you to save a lot of money. Switzerland is expensive. However, the fact that you organize a wedding will not cause price spikes from caterers and venues. Even so, shopping around is a really good idea. You want to see prices abroad and in Switzerland in order to see how you can better manage your available budget. Some couples fly in photographers from their home country while others buy tablecloths at home and bring them along. It is all up to you, your finances and wishes but generally speaking, it is better to shop abroad for many things due to the high prices you would need to pay in Switzerland.

Take Good Care Of Your Guests

Last but not least, the wedding can only become a lot better when your guests feel great and enjoy everything with you. Guests will most likely come from far away so you should be sure they are enjoying themselves.

The best Swiss weddings are usually those that are guest-oriented. The couples do make choices and decide on many things but friends and family members are considered. For instance, you can organize a tour of some famous vineyards with your guests or some sort of party that is held in an unconventional place.

Switzerland gives you access to so many interesting choices that you do want to take into account. Take your time to see what you can afford. Arrange a local visit and talk with those that already got married there. You will learn about so many exquisite opportunities that you cannot learn about from the internet. Swiss weddings are much more popular than what many think because of the huge flexibility that is available, especially when it comes to celebrations and what can be done after the wedding is over.